In-App Purchasing Coming To Windows Phone 8 Only

It has emerged that Microsoft's planned introduction of in-app purchasing for its Windows Phone platform will only include support for Windows Phone 8. This makes for another big kick in the teeth for existing Windows Phone 7 users who have already had to come to terms with the news they will not be getting an upgrade to Windows Phone 8 when it arrives in October.

Furthermore, this news suggests that the Wallet Hub of Windows Phone 8 - which includes support for debit and credit cards, NFC and contactless payments and deals and loyalty card schemes - will also not be making it to previous versions, as it's this framework through which in-app purchases are set to work. This has yet to be confirmed by Microsoft, though.

What existing Windows Phone users will get is an upgrade to version 7.8, which will include some of the new features coming to Windows Phone 8, including the new more customisable start screen, but most of the key functionality brought in via Windows Phone 8 is not expected to be supported.